Funding for further short-term flood mitigation work

Christchurch
City Council has approved funding for further short-term
flood defence measures in the hardest hit areas of
Christchurch and will consider potential mitigation options
for the Central City.

The Mayoral Flood Taskforce
delivered its final report to Council today outlining flood
mitigation options completed, underway or planned to help
the most vulnerable households until long-term solutions are
decided.

Several area-wide solutions and maintenance
measures, designed to mitigate flooding during heavy rain
events, will be funded from available Council budgets and
integrated into existing work programmes.

An additional
funding increase of $1.75 million (from $4.35million to
$6.1million) for the Tay Street Drain Pumping Station was
also approved. The pump station is expected to be completed
by November.

Taskforce leader John Mackie says the
Council’s decision to approve the planned works would
provide further measures to minimise flooding risk.

“The total cost of works completed, in progress or
scheduled is $10.7million, bringing flood mitigation
benefits to 65 per cent of the most vulnerable households.
Being able to progress further work gives us additional
measures to prevent flooding in the hardest-hit areas of
Christchurch.”

Mr Mackie says that while the
area-wide solutions will benefit many residents, there was
still work to be done with other agencies on funding
individual house defences, worth $6.1million, for residents
whose properties were not protected by wider solutions.

“We need to work with the Government and our other
partner agencies to identify potential funding avenues for
house tanking or raising. The individual solutions would act
as interim flood defence measures for these residents while
long-term options are investigated. There’s still work to
be done on the longer-term measures and the future costs”

Council requested staff prepare a report on flooding
issues in the Central City and potential defence options for
residential and commercial properties in this area.

“We
will be contacting SCIRT to inform them of this report,
allowing us to capitalise on any cost saving opportunities
and ensure alignment with projects currently underway,”
says Mr Mackie.

Council is also supporting the
establishment of community flood defence plans, linking
community groups and organisations with metropolitan and
civil defence planning.

The two long-term proposals for
Dudley Creek will be reassessed in light of the temporary
work completed and planned. A timeframe on the
recommendations will be presented to Council at the end of
October.

Council staff will also review the floodplain
management options for the Lower Heathcote to be included in
the 2015 Long Term Plan and consider the possibility of
permanent or temporary relocation or retreat.

- ends
-

Background:

In total, the
Taskforce pinpointed nearly 1500 Christchurch properties
vulnerable to regular flooding post-earthquake. The
Taskforce included staff from the Council, consultants, the
Stronger Christchurch Infrastructure Rebuild Team (SCIRT)
and Environment Canterbury (ECan)

The Mayoral Taskforce
on Flooding was set up in May 2014 following a sequence of
severe rain events that struck Christchurch in March and
April 2014. Its aim was to fast-track work to identify the
causes and possible short-term solutions available to
householders who experienced repeated flooding.

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